Can anyone tell me why the mainsail head will no longer connect at the top when hoisted.I am having problems getting the ring tied to the halyard to drop on the hook at the top of my mast.
It used to work all the time, I now have to turn the boat over in order to hook the ring. Do I need to replace the tang that catches the ring, it looks to be fine?
More often than not, the problem you are having is a result of how the ring is tied to the halyard and the relation of the knot to the mast. I have had the most success using a knot called a laser-knot, or Portugese Bowline (probably neither are the correct name). In the end of the halyard, tie a granny knot. Tie the halyard to the ring with another granny knot. The knot in the end of the line will keep the granny knot around the ring from coming undone. This knot allows the ring to be hoisted well above the hook. I have had the most success with the knot facing away from the mast (you'll see when you tie it). Anyway, just my 2 cents worth.
ksufer2 thanks for your reply,but I don't believe it is the knot that is keeping the ring from dropping onto the tang hook.The other day I turned the boat over in the water and hooked the ring onto the tang while another person used the downhaul to keep the tension on the ring,and it held all day.I noticed the knot relation and the ring to the hook point and there was plenty of room so I don't think the knot was to long or causing it to be out of line.I haven't had this problem before.
Something must be deformed enough to keep it from making the hook up. I was wondering if anyone else had a fix for it. I am wearing my halyard out raising and lowering the sail.
I had problems with mine and welded the ring and shackle together...no more problems. I use a figure eight not on the halyard run throught the eye with the knot facing aft when in use.
Lee
Something must be deformed enough to keep it from making the hook up. I was wondering if anyone else had a fix for it. I am wearing my halyard out raising and lowering the sail.
It's not about room with the knot - it's about how the knot orients the ring when you pull on it. Try changing the knot up and see if it gets better. Another problem I've run into as well is if you are hauling the ring up too high over and past the hook. A pair of binoculars will really help you see what's going on up there when you try to hoist. Once you think it's hook, put in some solid downhaul to set it...I've also seen it sort of hook then come un-done at the first rotation of the mast.
ok I'll try it,thanks.
I was thinking about this last night, and I think I always had a bowline tying my halyard to the ring on the 6.0 I had...I do remember that I had some unhooking issues at one point but I put a new straight shackle on it and it seemed to solve the problem.
I tied a line to the shackle pin like it was attached at the head and pulled it up to the ring hook, it hooked fine and unhooked just fine although it didn't have the load of the sail on it.
I bought this boat new in 98.There was no problem until the last couple of years and this year I just can't seem to get it to hook-up.
It could be the shackle because there is wear showing where it rides on the ring. Thanks
Does this happen with only one sail? Is the sail new or really old?
Try a different sail and if the problem goes away, figure out what is different about yours.
I have had a couple of sails that were very hard to latch or unlatch. In both cases something was loose or deformed at the top of the sail.